


Let me show you.

by SenselessRhythm



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Trigger Warning: Drowning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-05-17
Packaged: 2018-01-25 12:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1648811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SenselessRhythm/pseuds/SenselessRhythm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"There couldn't be a world without Jemma Simmons, all of her energy in one place - the most perfect arrangement of atoms and particles. He didn't want that to be shared with anything. Not the flowers, or the fish, or the sky, or the sun."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let me show you.

**Author's Note:**

> "My mum always said that... you shouldn't be afraid because... its just like the way life was before you were born."

Fitz had pressed down on that glowing red button without a second thought, or moment of hesitation.

He didn't want to think about it. Not that it would affect his decision - Simmons needed to live, and that was that; just another fact like the sky was blue and the sun was just hot plasma interwoven by magnetic fields. But if he began to think through the ramifications of his decision, he knew he would feel far more frightened of what would happen next. 

Fitz had done the calculations, after all. 

She needed to live. There couldn't be a world without Jemma Simmons, all of her energy in one place - the most perfect arrangement of atoms and particles. He didn't want that to be shared with anything. Not the flowers, or the fish, or the sky, or the sun. So he set off the chain reaction that caused the door to explode, Jemma's scream echoing in his ears before the rushing water came next. It felt as though he were hit by a truck, and whatever air he had in his lungs was stolen as they were pushed violently to the back of their box. He didn't lose consciousness right away. He had predicted that. 

First, he needed to drown. 

The need to suck in a breath as the water passed his head was immediate, but he forced himself to keep his mouth close, to avoid the temptation. Fitz's lungs burned, his head felt heavy. He was flailing to swim which only caused shooting pain up and down his broken arm. He couldn't have swum to the surface, even if there was enough oxygen in that tank for the both of them. Still, despite his prior knowledge of his dismal life expectancy, he opened his eyes to the stinging, murky, sea water. He had to watch Jemma. He had to make sure she used the oxygen, and it wasn't until right after-

Voluntary Apnea. 

Fitz was forced to suck in a breath - his body begging to survive, but only killing him instead. He wanted to choke on the water that filled his lungs. He wanted to continue flailing, and kicking his legs. He wanted to swim to the surface, and to breathe, but... it didn't hurt. Not his arm, or his head. The moment he stopped fighting it, it was peaceful. 

Calm. 

He knew this meant he was drowning, but his thoughts felt a million miles away. Concern was a foreign concept and as he began to lose whatever touch on reality he had, Fitz vaguely felt a tug on the collar of his shirt. He could tell he was moving, being pulled backwards out of the box, but he was gone before they cleared the door.

Jemma was alive, and he would die.

He hadn't been afraid.


End file.
